Method and apparatus for transporting a plurality of articles, and shaped article having serially registered component images

Abstract

An apparatus for transporting and processing a plurality of articles includes a transport loop including a plurality of carrier bars and a plurality of pockets formed between adjacent ones of the carrier bars. The articles are laterally, longitudinally and rotationally positioned within the pockets at a predetermined position. The articles may be pharmaceutical tablets or capsules. The carrier bars may follow a curvilinear path including a non-linear path portion and a substantially linear path portion. The pockets between adjacent carrier bars are open and able to receive the articles when the adjacent carrier bars are at the non-linear path portion, and are closed and tightly grasp the articles when the adjacent carrier bars are at the substantially linear path portion. The apparatus can be used to manufacture shaped edible articles having a non-planar portion that receive serially registered component images from first and second printers. The first and second component images are formed in registration with one another to form a composite image even though the non-planar portion is spaced from the printing plane by variable distances.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An apparatus for forming a registered image on an article, the apparatus comprising: 
       means for introducing an article into a shaped pocket formed between two adjacent carrier bars that follow a curvilinear path;  
       means for laterally, longitudinally and rotationally positioning the article such that the article occupies a predetermined position within the shaped pocket;  
       means for transporting the article to a substantially linear portion of the curvilinear path so that the two adjacent carrier bars tightly grasp the article in said predetermined position;  
       means for forming, at a first printing position, a first component of a composite image on the article while in the predetermined position;  
       means for forming, at a second printing position downstream of the first printing position, a second component of said composite image on the article while in the predetermined position, said first and second composite images being substantially registered with one another; and  
       means for maintaining the article in the predetermined position within the shaped pocket while the article is at and transported between the first and second positions.  
     
     
       2. A method for forming a registered image on an article, the method comprising: 
       forming an article receiving pocket between two adjacent carrier bars that follow a curvilinear path;  
       introducing an article into the pocket along a substantially non-linear portion of the curvilinear path;  
       laterally, longitudinally and rotationally positioning the article such that the article occupies a predetermined position within the pocket;  
       transporting the article to a substantially linear portion of the curvilinear path so that the two adjacent carrier bars tightly grasp the article in said predetermined position;  
       forming a first component of a composite image on the article while in the predetermined position at a first printing station;  
       transporting the article to a second printing station downstream of the first printing station;  
       maintaining the article in the predetermined position within the shaped transporting recess while the article is at and transported between the first and second stations; and  
       forming a second component of said composite image on the article while the article is in the predetermined position, said first and second composite images being substantially registered with one another.  
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising dimensioning the pocket such that a non-planar portion of the article protrudes above the two adjacent carrier bars. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising dimensioning the pocket such that a non-planar portion of the article does not protrude above the two adjacent carrier bars. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus for transporting a plurality of articles, the apparatus comprising: 
       a transport loop comprising a plurality of carrier bars, at least one cavity formed in an edge of each carrier bar at a position such that, when the carrier bar is at a position adjacent to another carrier bar, at least one pocket is formed between the adjacent carrier bars, said pockets each laterally, longitudinally and rotationally tightly grasping a different one of said articles at a predetermined position such that a portion of a surface of each article is exposed.  
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the exposed portion of the articles protrudes above the carrier bars. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the exposed portion of the articles does not protrude above the carrier bars. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to  claim 5 , further comprising a resilient portion formed within each of the pockets. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the carrier bars follow a curvilinear path including a non-linear path portion and a substantially linear path portion, the pockets between adjacent carrier bars being open and able to receive the articles when the adjacent carrier bars are at the non-linear path portion, and the pockets between the adjacent carrier bars being closed and performing the tightly grasping when the adjacent carrier bars are at the substantially linear path portion. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising a first printer that prints a first component image of a composite image on the article at a first printing position along the transport loop, and a second printer downstream from the first printing position that prints a second component image of said composite image on the articles in registration with the first component image of the composite image, the pockets maintaining the articles at the predetermined position while the articles are at and transported between the first and second printing positions. 
     
     
       11. A method for transporting a plurality of articles, comprising: 
       introducing a plurality of said articles into a plurality of pockets formed between adjacent carrier bars, each pocket receiving a different one of said articles;  
       tightly grasping said articles between said carrier bars so as to laterally, longitudinally and rotationally position said articles within the pockets at a predetermined position, a portion of a surface of each article being exposed; and  
       transporting the articles while tightly grasped.  
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the carrier bars follow a curvilinear path including a non-linear path portion and a substantially linear path portion, the introducing the articles being performed when the adjacent carrier bars are at the non-linear path portion, and the tightly grasping being performed when the articles have been transported by the adjacent carrier bars to the substantially linear path portion. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising printing a first component image of a composite image on the articles at a first printing position, and printing a second component image of said composite image on the articles in registration with the first component image of the composite image at a second printing position, the articles being maintained at the predetermined position by the pockets while the articles are at and transported between the first and second printing positions. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising dimensioning the pocket such that a non-planar portion of the article protrudes above the two adjacent carrier bars. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising dimensioning the pocket such that a non-planar portion of the article does not protrude above the two adjacent carrier bars.